3 parties to form new coalition government in Morocco

By Khalid Majdoub

RABAT, Morocco (AA) – The new coalition government in Morocco will include the National Rally of Independents (RNI), the Authenticity and Modernity Party, and the Istiqlal Party, according to the Moroccan Prime Minister-designate on Wednesday.

"The three parties will work on proposing the names of competent and responsible ministers," Aziz Akhannouch, who is also the RNI Secretary-General, told a joint press conference with his counterparts Abdellatif Wehbe and Nizar Baraka of the Authenticity and Modernity Party and Istiqlal Party respectively.

On September 9, the liberal RNI won 102 seats of the 395-member parliament in the Sept. 8 polls, the highest among the parties that contested the polls. The Authenticity and Modernity Party came second with 86 seats, followed by the center-right Istiqlal Party with 81 seats.

The long-ruling Justice and Development Party, meanwhile, snatched only 13 seats, down from 125 seats in the previous parliament.

On Sept. 10, King Mohammed VI tasked Akhannouch with forming a new government.

In his press statement, Akhannouch promised that the coalition government will “work to implement the government program which will be the roadmap for its work."

In turn, Wehbe called for a “strong and harmonious government” that will seek to satisfy the aspirations of Moroccans

During the past few days, Akhannouch met with leaders of the political parties represented in Parliament as part of his consultations to form the government.

The kingdom's constitution does not provide for a specific period for consultations to form a government. However, any coalition formation requires obtaining the approval of those who occupy half plus one of the seats in the parliament.

*Writing by Ibrahim Mukhtar